Obama declares ‘long-term campaign’ against IS

NewsGram Staff Writer

United Nations: Acknowledging that annihilating the terrorist outfit Islamic State (IS) would be a "long-term campaign", US President Barack Obama reiterated his determination to destroy the group.

"We are harnessing all of our tools – military, intelligence, economic, development and the strength of our communities" to combat the extremist group, Obama told a summit at the United Nations on countering the IS and violent extremism.

"In Iraq and Syria, the IS is surrounded by communities, countries and a broad international coalition committed to its destruction," said Obama on Tuesday, reported Xinhua news agency.

"We are seeing a new global movement to counter the violent extremism that IS needs to survive," he added.

Mentioning that vanquishing the outfit is "not an easy task", Obama said the current approach will take time. "There are going to be successes and there are going to be setbacks," Obama noted.

"This is not a conventional battle. This is a long-term campaign is not only against this particular network, but against its ideology." He also called for renewed effort to stem the radicalising networks that are attracting recruits to the extremist group.

(With inputs from IANS)